Archive for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Oasis of the Seas: Big Thrills for Kids!
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The 225,282-ton, 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas made waves as she entered US waters in 2009 as the newest and certainly the biggest cruise ship in the world. Families are a large market for Royal Caribbean and naturally this ship has some amazing stuff for children.
Now, where to start?
Let’s begin with size. The gigantic 28,000-square-foot Adventure Ocean complex is built around a main artery called Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting kids with Adventure Ocean spaces and various customized play areas geared to specific activities. It also harbors the cruise line’s first nursery for infants and toddlers (six months or older) as well as state-of-the-art teen areas.
Oasis of the Seas is divided into seven neighborhoods — from leafy Central Park to the Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness zone — and two of them are especially geared to families: the Youth Zone and the Boardwalk.
The Youth Zone: Highlights
A Royal Caribbean first, Royal Babies and Tots nursery is a colorful fully-staffed nursery where children can be left in the care of Royal Caribbean’s trained professionals. The ship also offers the line’s popular interactive playgroups for parents and babies/tots created by Fisher-Price and Crayola. The nursery is open daily during the daytime and evening, maintaining an optimum staff to child ratio.
For the 3 to 11 age range, Kids Avenue is the Youth Zone’s answer to the Royal Promenade. It’s the main boulevard for young cruisers to access the various Adventure Ocean areas, where three age groupings each enjoy their own space: Aquanauts, ages 3 to 5; Explorers, ages 6 to 8; and Voyagers, ages 9 to 11. All the fun is supervised by a team of college-educated counselors.
New common play areas aboard Oasis include the Kid’s Arcade for video games; the Workshop, where families can learn scrap booking skills or create personalized jewelry; Imagination Studio where children can explore the world of color and imagination through Adventure Art by Crayola; a fully-equipped Adventure Science Lab, where Einsteins-in-the-making can expand their knowledge; Play, an indoor playground where children can run around and play games like nurfball and dodge ball; and the 100-seat Adventure Ocean Theater. This is the first-ever children’s theater at sea – complete with a stage and curtains, audience seating and state-of-the-art production equipment – where children of all ages can learn about theatrical productions, take part in talent shows, or sign up for hip hop dance classes.
For older kids, the tween and teen-only spaces are located one deck above the Adventure Ocean areas and adjacent to the ship’s Sports Deck, where kids can test their skills on one of the ship’s pair of FlowRider surf simulators; the miniature golf-course, Oasis Dunes; or the Sports Court for volleyball and basketball games. Teens of course will love having their space far far away from the younger Adventure Ocean kids. The two main areas for them are the Fuel disco and The Living Room, a hangout spot for milling around, making new friends and sipping on a non-alcoholic juice or soda from the “mocktail” bar. Teens can also learn to spin and mix music in Scratch DJ 101 classes or surf the Internet and keep in touch with friends via the bank of computer stations there. Fuel is a hip nightclub where teens can hang out with friends and show off their moves on the dance floor. A spacious outdoor deck adjacent to these venues gives teens even more opportunities to make new friends. There’s also a video arcade filled with the latest video games.
The Boardwalk
The nostalgic-y feeling Boardwalk has two main stars, the old time wooden carousel and the 600-seat AquaTheater for thrilling aquatic acrobatic, high-diving and synchronized swimming performances. A pair of rock-climbing walls measuring 43 feet high flanks the AquaTheater and provides multiple climbing routes. Each rock wall measures 43 feet tall and is open to passengers 6 and over. Even more thrilling for teens and adults is a go at the first zip line at sea stretching 82 feet in length and suspended nine decks above the bustling Boardwalk area.
Kids will also love Candy Beach, where they can buy M&Ms, jellybeans, Tootsie Rolls and other tasty treats. Kid-geared shops include the Star Pier for electronics and surf-inspired clothes for teens. The Pinwheels toy store targets younger kids and has a backdrop of plasma screens showing movie trailers and video games. Pets at Sea, a build-your-own stuffed toy shop, is also focused on the younger children. Another Boardwalk hit is the climbing and play space modeled after a 50′s-style gas station next to the popular Johnny Rockets diner-style restaurant. Other family-friendly noshing venues along the Boardwalk include an ice cream parlor, donut shop and casual seafood shack.
Other Great Stuff
In the Pool & Sports Zone, the H2O Zone aqua park has a great toddler pool as well as the first beach pool at sea, featuring a true-to-form sloped entry and colorful beach chairs and umbrellas.
In the dining department, families have the pick of 22 outlets throughout the ship, from burgers and shakes at the Johnny Rockets diner to individual cafes and restaurants specializing in cupcakes, pizza, sandwiches, ice-cream and more.
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Life Aquatic: Oasis of the Seas
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In the battle to boast the biggest and best, Royal Caribbean International debuted Oasis of the Seas in 2009, which, along with sister ship Allure of the Seas, holds the title as the world’s largest cruise ship.
But Oasis of the Seas boasts much more than size. Making a huge media splash, the world’s largest cruise ship took the industry a step closer to fulfilling aspirations among lead designers: to incorporate theme park elements on the top decks of ships.
Clearly, the upper decks of cruise ships are getting more interesting, and while that may not please everyone, expect the innovations to continue.
“Yes,” chuckles Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbean’s executive vice president, maritime, “maybe we do like building big ships. The purpose, however, is not just to build the biggest ships. The purpose is to build outstanding vessels that provide great facilities for our guests. And we need a lot of real estate for that. That’s the reason we’ve constantly been growing the size of our ships. We have a lot of good ideas that we want to incorporate in the ships.”
Capable of carrying more than 6,000 passengers, Oasis of the Seas is 40 percent larger than the company’s Freedom-class vessels, which previously reigned as the world’s largest cruise ships.
A Thrill A Minute
With more than 30 ships under his belt, Carnival’s chief designer Joe Farcus has expressed interest in the past to put a steel-structure roller coaster on a ship. “It would be a very sculptural thing,” he explains, noting that the roller coaster would be designed in a way so as not to disturb sunbathers.
If a roller coaster requires a leap of imagination, consider what Designteam wants to put on a cruise ship: an 825-foot ski slope wrapping around the ship’s funnel and sloping to the back of the top deck.
An “inflatable roof” would keep the manmade snow from melting in the Caribbean,” Designteam’s Frank Symeou says with the conviction of a man who expects to be taken seriously.
The roof would be removed when cruising cold-water destinations such as Alaska. “It’s perfectly feasible,” chimes in Symeou’s partner, Eric Mouzourides, “although the weight of the snow was one concern.” Not a safety hazard, he explains: The additional weight adds to fuel costs.
Whether these designs will see the light of day — or the upper decks of ships — remains to be seen, but what is certain is that cruise lines will continue to build ever-larger ships with features previously unthinkable. “There’s no question that big ships have a great public relations value,” says Carnival’s Farcus.
And while Oasis of the Seas may be the best indication of what to expect on big ships of the future, there is still much more on the drawing boards and in the minds of designers who increasingly are looking at successful entertainment venues outside the cruise industry for inspiration.
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Awesome Oasis of the Seas
Posted by: | CommentsBy the Avid Cruiser
In December 2009, Royal Caribbean International introduced the world’s largest cruise ship: the 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas.
Let’s start by getting the size factor out of the way. Yes, the ship is mammoth. It spans 16 decks, encompasses 220,000 gross registered tons, and if full, holds 6,200 guests. But as the bigwigs at Royal Caribbean tell us, the company has been here before – twice in fact.
No modern cruiser would bat an eye at a 3,114-passenger vessel, but that is the size of the Voyager of the Seas, which was the world’s largest cruise ship when it debuted in 1999, roused the same questions the Oasis did: Will it float? Will it fit into ports? Will it take half a day to get on and off?
It is natural to focus on Oasis’ size. We did so with Voyager and also when Royal introduced the 4,300-passenger Freedom of the Seas in 2006. But with the Oasis, its size is not the story behind this ship.
The Oasis has amenities never seen afloat before, such as a zip-line and a carousel, as well as the first moving bar at sea, which ascends from the ship’s Promenade area of indoor stores and cafes, to its Central Park, an open-air outdoor “park” with pathways, flower gardens and canopy trees that span the length of a football field.
A pool situated at the very back of the ship, the deepest at sea, is by night an outdoor amphitheater, hosting synchronized swimming and diving shows featuring Olympic athletes that jump from as high as 72 feet up. During the day guests can swim or take SCUBA lessons in the pool, or relax on loungers located on tiered platforms surrounding it. Speaking of pools, the Oasis has four of them. Two are made to feel like a beach with sloped entries you can walk into just as you would the ocean.
The Oasis revolutionized cruise ship accommodations, offering 37 different accommodation categories, and unique offerings such as duplex “loft suites” that have 18-foot windows looking on to the ocean. Other cabins have views of the line’s seven “neighborhoods” such as the aforementioned Central Park and also the Boardwalk, home to the Carousel and venues like a (fake) tattoo parlor.
In addition to Central Park, the “neighborhoods” include the Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone: 28,700-square-feet just for kids and teens with Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting various themed play areas; a nursery for infants and toddlers; a theater just for children.
All this give parents time to enjoy the adults-only retreat, the open-air Solarium. Adults have their own swimming pool and six whirlpools – four of them cantilevered 136 feet above the ocean. At night, the Solarium becomes an adults-only setting for specialty dining and outdoor dancing.
The Oasis’ itineraries – seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean – are certainly not original. It is true that there are few ports worldwide that could accommodate such ships. But the Oasis forced innovation at some of these ports, and will be a boon to all of them at a time when there is nary a destination that can’t use an influx of several thousand tourists each week.
In Fort Lauderdale, where the Oasis and its sister ship the Allure of the Seas homeport, Port Everglades built the world’s largest terminal for the Oasis ships. It is actually two separate terminals designed so that embarkation and debarkation can happen simultaneously, drastically saving time. The port has even said that its goal is to get passengers from curbside to the vessel in just 15 minutes.
Jamaica and Royal Caribbean worked together to create a new cruise port designed specifically for the two Oasis ships. Falmouth, which is also open to other cruise lines when Royal Caribbean isn’t there, is located 20 minutes from Montego Bay and 30 from Ocho Rios. It has been revitalized to reflect its heritage as an “old English town.” But construction delays forced Royal Caribbean to replace Falmouth with Costa Maya (Mexico) on the ship’s first 16 Western Caribbean sailings.
Anyone who hangs around with Royal Caribbean’s employees can feel a palpable enthusiasm. As the line’s chairman Richard Fain proclaimed: “It’s a good day in my neighborhood — all seven of them.”
From its Miami headquarters, Royal Caribbean continues to spread the word about its “Nation of Why Not?” campaign, which defines Royal Caribbean’s fleet as the ideal destination to declare independence from ordinary vacations. Clearly, “awesome” Oasis offers anything but an ordinary vacation.
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Oasis Of The Seasick? Not Likely, According To Captain
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Normally, stablizers are used to test the stability of a ship during sea trials. But when the Oasis of the Seas underwent its sea trials, the stablizers were used to deliberately make the ship roll.
Often, a pitch of 11 to 12 degrees can be achieved, according to Oasis’ Captain Bill Wright. But on the word’s largest cruise ship, “we couldn’t even get three degrees,” he says.
Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbean‘s executive vice president, marine, says, “I don’t know why we haven’t been building the wide bodies (ships) all along.”
Not only do wide ships allow for more facilities, but with a width of about 50 meters, more than 160 feet, Oasis is more stable than any of the ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
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In-Depth Alaska: Cruise + Tour = Cruisetour
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Research shows that most people planning a trip to Alaska want to see two places: Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park. You can get to Glacier Bay aboard a cruise ship and admire the national park’s stunning scenery from the comfort of your balcony stateroom. But to get to Denali (a.k.a. Mt. McKinley), you’ll have to get off the ship, lace up your hiking boots, and trek inland. That’s where a cruisetour comes in.
Cruisetours combine a cruise voyage with a fully escorted stay on land. The cruise lines have streamlined their product so that you’ll pay one price in exchange for two vacations: one at sea, and the other on land in the Alaskan interior. You’ll also enjoy two completely different travel experiences. While at sea, you’ll gaze out at glaciers, fjords, and lots of marine life. While in the interior, you’ll see snow-capped mountains (on a clear day, you may want to “fly by” Denali, North America’s tallest peak), wildlife, and what some have called “the real Alaska.” While a cruise offers travelers an excellent taste of Alaska, a cruisetour serves up the complete five-course dinner — the total Alaska experience.
Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International are all among the major cruise lines offering cruisetours. Each line employs their own tour guides, owns their own fleet of comfortable buses, and operates private glass-domed railcars that hitch up to the Alaska Railroad for the journey between Anchorage and Denali. The rail journey alone is spectacular — on a clear day, you’ll spot Denali’s dome several times from along the rails.
In total, a cruisetour will last anywhere from 10 days to three weeks. That includes the cruise portion of your trip, and you can choose to add your land stay either before or after you sail. Some cruisetours include two full days in Denali National Park, allowing you plenty of time to spot grizzly bears and admire the mountain scenery.
Travelers can explore Denali via 90 miles of semi-paved road that reaches deep into the park, or take to the skies and see Denali from an aerial perspective. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to stay in back country lodges or mountain chateaus, and you’ll likely spend at least one night in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city.
Some cruise lines offer close to thirty different cruisetour options. With so many variations available, it’s always advisable to speak to your cruise consultant about which option is best for you. Cruisetours also fill up quickly, so plan as far in advance as possible. The greatest number of cruisetour bookings occur in October and November — for the following year’s peak season — but it’s never too late to see what’s available.
Alaska is enormous. At 586,412 square miles, it’s more than twice the size of Texas, and cruise lines skirt only a small portion of the state’s 33,904 combined miles of coastline. For many, the real Alaska lies in the vast wilderness beyond the shorelines — and a cruisetour can take you there.
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Apple iPhone Rentals For The Whole Family On Oasis?
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Oasis of the Seas launched an innovative new program that uses Apple’s popular iPhone as the technology platform. The program, known as Royal Connect, allows guests to rent modified iPhones to stay connected while on board. The cost for unlimited usage, which includes phone and chat functions, is $17.50 per device for the duration of the voyage.
Royal Connect allows guests to stay connected and provides “peace of mind for parents” who can use the device to keep tabs on where their children are on the ship, says Rinat Glinert, Royal Caribbean’s manager of strategic projects and newbuilding.
A chip device in muster bands, which children are required to wear, connects electronically with what Royal refers to as the “communication device” (trademark issues prohibit the device being branded as an iPhone).
Royal Connect functions like a GPS, but with added features that allow guests to make and receive calls to any extension or Royal Connect device on the ship. Royal Connect also allows guests to chat, add friends and access the daily activity brochure, called Cruise Compass.
By the Avid Cruiser
Allure Of The Seas Dining Options For Families
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For better or worse, food is an integral part of a family cruise experience. Tasting one’s way through a cruise vacation is one of the delights family cruisers can look forward to. On Allure of the Seas, family cruisers can choose to dine in more than 24 venues.
Top family-friendly dining venues
Adagio Dining Room: Designed in the 1920s Art Deco period, Allure of the Seas’ three-tier main dining venue offers breakfast, lunch and dinner service. Families with children ages 3 – 11 years old should take advantage of My Family Time Dining, which offers the early dinner seating with the option of checking your child into Adventure Ocean Club within the restaurant at a pre-arranged time. Other dining times are the flexible My Time Dining and Traditional dining (either early or late seating.)
Rita’s Cantina: This restaurant is truly unique to Allure of the Seas. Rita’s Cantina offers classic Mexican food. The design is inspired from beach bars and Southern California taqueria shops. Families can expect high energy food service in a kid friendly venue. Cost: $7.95 per person open lunch and dinner.
The Boardwalk Dog House: Also unique to Allure of the Seas, The Boardwalk Dog House offers gourmet hot-dogs. At this outdoor venue, look for a lunch counter located in the Boardwalk neighborhood. The location next to the Ice Cream Parlor will ensure a family friendly lunch. Cost: complimentary.
Johnny Rockets A standby on all Royal Caribbean ships, this 1950′s-style diner serves great fish & ships, grilled foods and breakfast items. Cost: $4.95 per person for lunch or dinner. Breakfast is complimentary.
Giovanni’s Table: An Italian trattoria with both indoor and alfresco seating, featuring Italian classics served family-style. Cost: $10 per person for lunch; $15 per person for dinner.
The Wipe Out Café: A casual self-service buffet with pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches and fresh salads. Cost: complimentary.
Sorrento’s Pizzeria: Featuring New York style pizza, made-to-order pies and by-the-slice. Cost: complimentary.
Dessert anyone?
The Cupcake Cupboard: Featuring fresh-baked gourmet cupcakes as well as cupcake parties. Cost: A nominal fee applies and will depend on what is ordered.
Boardwalk Donut Shop: Homemade donuts will please the kids. Cost: complimentary.
Ice Cream Parlor: A variety of ice cream flavors and toppings available. Cost: A nominal fee applies and will depend on what is ordered.
Date-Night on Allure of the Seas
150 Central Park: Enjoy a glass of wine while dining in this upscale and intimate restaurant. Molly Brandt, winner of the Allure of the Seas Culinary Challenge co-hosted with The Culinary Institute of America, as well as Food and Wine’s 2006 best student chef, will create some fun and innovative cuisine. Cost: $35 per person.
Samba Grille: Unique to Allure of the Seas, this Brazilian steakhouse located in the Solarium features authentic Brazilian-style meats and seafood dishes. The theme of this restaurant is inspired from the Brazilian steakhouses known as churrascaria. Churrasco is the cooking style, which means barbecue in Portuguese. Cost: $25 per person.
Chops Grille: Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse with views of Central Park and premium cuts of quality meats. Cost: $25 per person.
Izumi Asian Cuisine: Asian food venue offering a Sushi bar and the hot-rock cooking experience. Guests can cook their own chicken, steak or mixed seafood on the hot rocks (heated 575 degrees Fahrenheit.) Cost: depends on each item selected.
Vintages: A wine bar with pre-dinner tapas and cheeses along with a robust selection of fine wines. Cost: varies by item from menu.
Park Café: Located in Central Park and famous for the Roast Beef sandwiches. This indoor/outdoor gourmet market is an easy option for families. Salads, sandwiches, soups and pastries available. Cost: complimentary.
Healthy Choice
The Vitality Café: Looking to stay in shape and find some great low calorie, healthy spa food? The Vitality Café serves up healthy snacks, sandwiches, wraps, fruit and smoothies. Also available are energy bars, vitamin-packed smoothies or Tazo teas. Cost: varies on what is selected.
The Best Coffee
Starbucks: The first ever Starbucks at sea is located on deck 5 in the Royal Promenade. The Starbucks outlet on Allure of the Seas offers signature drinks like Frappuccinos, lattes, and seasonal specialties.
This is the best place on Allure of the Seas for hard-core coffee drinkers. In addition to specialty coffees, cruisers can find a selection of snacks. Look for this venue on the Royal Promenade between Boleros and On Air Karaoke Club. Cost: Fees for specialty drinks and upgraded snacks.
Café Promenade: The café offers Seattle’s Best coffee drinks. Food to enjoy here includes fruit shakes, pastries and sandwiches. Cost: complimentary.
Want to learn more about Allure of the Seas?
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Royal Caribbean’s Freedom Class Ships Review
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Awesome Overview
Kids who love the whiz-bang of the latest technologies will absolutely adore the Freedom-class ships from Royal Caribbean.
Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas represent state of the cruising art, sure to impress the kid in all of us with a whole host of amenities and features that run from the now-expected-of-Royal Caribbean rock-climbing walls to an interactive water park and two adults-only hot tubs that are cantilevered 12 feet out from the side of the ship for a hot soak with a dramatic view.
Just For Kids
With programs for five age groups of kids and teens, Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean, for kids 3 years to 17 years, gets consistently high marks for its family friendly approach. Providing fun learning opportunities about local customs, with some cool science experiments too, Adventure Ocean separates kids by age, with dedicated facilities for each group. Royal Caribbean also offers interactive play time for kids 6 – 36 months.
Family Friendly
It’s nice for the kids to hang out with their own kind, and age group, but Royal Caribbean recognizes that not all families are looking for separation. Activities for kids and parents include karaoke, talent shows, bingo tournaments and the family disco. And there are family friendly competitions on the famous rock wall or the mini-golf course.
Try This!
The FlowRider Surf Park is surf simulator, sort of a perpetual wave where you can try to hang ten. Wipeouts aren’t painful, and the less adventurous can use a body board.
Keep’em Happy/No Shuffleboard, Dad!
Extended versions of popular Voyager-class ships, the Freedom-class ships vessels were the most innovative in the Royal Caribbean fleet of megaliners until the Oasis-class vessels came along, and it would take a seriously bad mood to claim that there is nothing to do. And if anyone gets too truculent, ship them off to the full-size boxing ring, where they can get lessons and even do some sparring.
Timing is everything
It’s pretty predictable when the ships will be full of families – just look at the school calendar. The best timing for families has more to do with when you book your cruise than when you go: The early bird definitely gets first crack at the staterooms and sailings that families find most desireable.
Avoid the Crowds
You will be sharing these ships with 4,200 of your best friends, but being twice as large as the biggest ships 10 or 12 years ago, Freedom Class ships provide plenty of elbow room in the vast and plentiful public spaces.
Can’t Miss
An entirely new addition is the H2O Zone—an expansive area fitted with a kids’ pool, water cannons and abstract colorful sculpture fountains that shoot water in entertaining and unpredictable directions, partially controlled by passengers who want to get soaked or start a water war.
Best Dining
For fun family fare, it’s tough to beat Johnny Rockets for a burger, fries and a shake. If you are having too much fun to leave the pool deck, the Solarium pool has a cafe dispensing pizzas, while the self-serve Sprinkles provides frozen yogurt. If looking for a healthier drink options, there is the Squeeze selling various fruit drinks.
Anchors Aweigh!
With a generous number of family friendly staterooms, including suites that can sleep up to 14 people, and adrenaline-pumping features, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class is perfect for families who really want to abide the cruise line’s slogan to “get out there!”
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Family Cruises
Posted by: | CommentsBy the Avid Cruiser
Family vacations can take one of two tacks: Either they are full-on disasters, or they go down as one of the “best vacations ever.” Cruise vacations are “best vacation ever” opportunities in the making.
Quite simply, my kids (and yes, your kids too) love to cruise. And why not? After all, where families are concerned, a cruise ship is little more than a floating, self-contained family resort, with all the features and activities that adults and kids could ever wish for.
I’ve put together a roundup of the best cruise lines and ships for families. Ranking is based on my experience of traveling with my children and experiencing the ships first-hand. I also considered input from others, advice from travel agents, and of course, the final word from the experts: kids.
You won’t go wrong choosing any of these cruises:
Cruising is the best vacation choice for families. Modern cruise ships offer wonderful accommodations, multiple dining options, and award-winning children’s programs. The key to planning a successful vacation is matching the right product to the needs of your family.
Happy family cruising!
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Big Ship Cruising
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What do you want to do today? Where do you want to eat? On a big ship, these are legitimate questions that need to be answered because the choices are not limited to either/or.
The major cruise lines that have been unveiling and sailing larger and larger cruise ships for the past decade take pride in offering so many choices that, for instance, it takes a week to visit every restaurant or dining room for dinner.
Superliners from Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and others provide a cruise vacation that can be wild and wooly one minute and cool, calm and collected the next. The facilities on these floating resorts, which all deserve the state-of-the-art label, will satisfy everyone from the health nut who wants to stay fit to the party animal who wants to dance all night.
It’s the big ships that feature the headline-grabbing innovations like surfing simulators, rock-climbing walls, ice skating rinks and wave pools, but because they are newer, they also feature some of the neatest twists on cruise-ship staples such as health spas, libraries and game rooms.
Mix in a few days visiting appealing ports, and a week on a big ship will seem to fly by. What may be most impressive, though, is how these ships can accommodate more than 2,000 people while not seeming crowded. More than anything, that’s a testament to all the different choices everyone is making every day.
Big ships typically offer exceptional value, but get you with the on-board spending. You’ll pay for extra for everything, soft drinks, speciality coffees, wine, beer and spirits. Plus, you’ll need to budget extra, as gratuities are not included as they are on luxury cruises. Still, big ship cruising can be tons of fun, and they offer up something for everyone in the family.
Big Ship Cruises
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- Carnival Cruise Lines
- Carnival Conquest
- Carnival Destiny
- Carnival Dream
- Carnival Ecstasy
- Carnival Elation
- Carnival Fantasy
- Carnival Fascination
- Carnival Freedom
- Carnival Glory
- Carnival Imagination
- Carnival Inspiration
- Carnival Legend
- Carnival Liberty
- Carnival Magic
- Carnival Miracle
- Carnival Paradise
- Carnival Pride
- Carnival Sensation
- Carnival Spirit
- Carnival Splendor
- Carnival Triumph
- Carnival Valor
- Carnival Victory
- Princess Cruises
- Royal Caribbean International
- Adventure of the Seas
- Allure of the Seas
- Brilliance of the Seas
- Enchantment of the Seas
- Explorer of the Seas
- Freedom of the Seas
- Grandeur of the Seas
- Independence of the Seas
- Jewel of the Seas
- Legend of the Seas
- Liberty of the Seas
- Majesty of the Seas
- Mariner of the Seas
- Monarch of the Seas
- Navigator of the Seas
- Oasis of the Seas
- Radiance of the Seas
- Rhapsody of the Seas
- Serenade of the Seas
- Splendour of the Seas
- Vision of the Seas
- Voyager of the Seas
- Costa Cruises
- NCL
- MSC Cruises
- Carnival Cruise Lines
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